All applications must be sent to careers@white-desert.com

GUEST COORDINATOR

Full Time

FUNCTION OF THE POSITION

White Desert is a fast-growing company which now requires a dedicated Guest Coordinator to manage the onboarding of our global HNW guests in preparation for their once-in-a-lifetime experience in our camps in Antarctica (approximately 250 guests each season).

This role will be heavily guest focused, working alongside the Head of Client Services to guide each guest through the onboarding process, ensuring that all pre-trip administration is completed and that every traveller is prepared for their trip to Antarctica. Our guests are UHNWIs who require a high-end and efficient service at all times.

The role will also be responsible for the sourcing and costing of guest gift boxes and camp shop items, working with external suppliers and manufacturers to create a range of bespoke goods.

 

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

White Desert Africa is the South African logistics subsidiary White Desert Limited, a UK-based tourism company providing luxury tours of Antarctica. White Desert deploys to Antarctica from Cape Town, operating a luxury camp in Antarctica on the Schirmacher Oasis in Queen Maud Land called Whichaway Camp, as well as a second “sister” client camp at our runway base to accommodate our ‘explorer’ guests.

The Guest Coordinator role is based in the Cape Town office and will involve significantly increased working hours during season (November to February) as our guests rotate on a ‘back-to-back’ basis, for which full flexibility is required. Working hours will be standard throughout the rest of the year.

 

KEY ACTIVITIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Guest Coordinator will undertake the following:

• Work with the Head of Client Services to onboard our HNW guests for both Whichaway Oasis and Wolf’s Fang Explorer camps
• Responsible for guest communications, responding to queries in a timely and effective manner
• Assist at safety briefings in season to ensure the event runs smoothly
• Sourcing, costing and delivery of gift and shop items for guests
• Assist the client and staff teams as needed in season

 

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

The Guest Coordinator reports to the Head of Client Services.

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Job Specific Criteria

1. Strong interpersonal skills and demonstratable experience of working in a client-facing environment, preferably within the high-end tourism sector
2. Experience of working in a busy, administration position with a focus on logistics (5+ years)
3. Proven ability to multitask and manage conflicting priorities
4. Experience of managing databases and using Microsoft Office
5. Excellent verbal and written skills
6. Can-do attitude, understanding that a small company requires people to work outside the scope of their job description when necessary
7. Clean driving licence and own car are required
8. Keen interest in adventure travel
9. Knowledge of Antarctic/Arctic or remote working environments is preferable but not essential
10. All candidates must be eligible to work in South Africa and be based in Cape Town

TALENT ACQUISITION AND MANAGEMENT

Full Time

FUNCTION OF THE POSITION

White Desert is a fast-growing company which now requires a dedicated Talent Acquisition & Management Coordinator to manage the onboarding process for seasonal hires (approximately 65 Antarctic contractors).  This is a global company, hiring staff from over 20 countries each year, across a range of technical expertise.

This role will be responsible for the all the logistics involved with bringing new members to Cape Town, and on to Antarctica as necessary, including booking travel, accommodation, organising visas and transport.

 

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

White Desert Africa is the South African logistics subsidiary White Desert Limited, a UK-based tourism company providing luxury tours of Antarctica.. White Desert deploys to Antarctica from Cape Town, operating a luxury camp in Antarctica on the Schirmacher Oasis in Queen Maud Land called Whichaway Camp, and a second “sister” client camp at our runway base to accommodate our ‘explorer’ guests.

The Talent Acquisition & Management role is based in the Cape Town office and will involve increased working hours during season when staff arrive and depart the country, for which flexibility is required.  Working hours will be standard throughout the rest of the year.

 

KEY ACTIVITIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The Talent Acquisition & Management will undertake the following:

• work with in-house teams to understand recruitment needs for both permanent positions and seasonal contractors
• Assist with recruitment process for all positions, liaising with appropriate team leaders, including the creation and distribution of contractor agreements (working with finance team)
• Manage pre-season staff communications
• Organise seasonal staff logistics in terms of flights, visas, accommodation and insurance
• Assist with the preparation and execution of training and orientation plans for new staff
• Understand kit requirements for each team and work with Staff Handler to ensure each member is suitably attired for their season
• Manage the onboarding and exit plan for any permanent member of staff
• Review sick/leave systems and maintain record
• Assist the Guest Team as needed in season

 

REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS

The Talent Acquisition & Management reports to the Head of Client Services.  They will be required to liaise with all staff across the business to ensure that contracts are agreed and that all policies and procedures are understood and adhered to.

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Job Specific Criteria

1. Demonstrable experience of booking and arranging travel, transport and accommodation
2. Strong experience of working in a busy, administration position with a focus on logistics
3. Proven ability to multitask and manage conflicting priorities across a number of departments
4. Managing databases and using Microsoft Office
5. Excellent verbal and written skills
6. Strong interpersonal skills and experience of working in a client-facing environment.
7. Can-do attitude, understanding that a small company requires people to work outside the scope of their job description when necessary
8. Clean driving licence and own car required
9. Knowledge of Antarctic/Arctic or remote working environments is preferable but not essential.
10. All candidates must be eligible to work in South Africa and be based in Cape Town

 

CONTENT MARKETING COORDINATOR

Full Time

INTRODUCTION

White Desert Antarctica is looking for a Content Marketing Coordinator (CMC) to join the Marketing & Sales team and support our growth plans. Taking responsibility for the written content of external and internal communications, the CMC will manage the company’s social media channels, including developing story lines and the posting calendar, create email newsletter campaigns and act as the keeper of the company’s tone of voice.

Coordinating with the CEO, CMO, other White Desert team members and agencies, you will need to be a creative self-starter who cracks on with the job without the need for handholding and be keen to exceed whatever targets are set in front of you. Comfortable in a high pressure environment, internationally minded and excited by Antarctica / travel / winter sports, you will be responsible for how thousands of people perceive the company.

Based in our offices in Constantia, Cape Town, you will have a background in social media and/or copywriting and be fully up-to-date with all the latest channels and techniques for building engagement and growing follower numbers. You’ll write beautifully in English and have a strong sense of how our audiences will perceive our brand via the medium of your writing.

 

ROLE SPECIFICATION

The primary roles of the CMC are:

• Create copy for company communications including brochures, collateral for guests, email newsletters, social media etc
• Draw up a plan for our “own channel” marketing including themes, posting calendars for email newsletters, social media, website etc
• Operate owned social media channels to respond to comments and external events; track mentions of White Desert on other key channels
• Together with Digital Marketing Coordinator (DMC), agree metrics with CMO / Head of Sales and track performance accordingly
• Develop and maintain the library of brochures, sales documents etc with the DMC
• Develop and maintain the company’s Tone of Voice guide, lexicon and PR database
• With relevant members of the management team and the PR agency, draw up “lines to take” on important White Desert-related topics eg environmental issues
• Leverage White Desert’s deep store of experience in Antarctica
• Maintain content for the company on Virtuoso.com and other key third party websites
• Oversee White Desert’s Wikipedia entries and ensure the company’s profile information etc is correct on all social media channels
• Support the CMO / Head of Sales in preparing webinars and presentations for key members of the senior team
• Develop collateral for future guests together with the Guest Services team
• Support the Guest Services team with content for internal training
• Develop a plan for and write the content for the company’s blog (TBC)
• Collaborate with the DMC to ensure mutual coverage during periods of absence

(Please note: the above is not exhaustive and may be modified to suit operational needs during the season)

 

CANDIDATE SPECIFICATION

ATTRIBUTES

• A demonstratable love of writing and delivering exactly the right impression through words
• A constant source of ideas for communications
• Self-starter, able to work independently including with colleagues working remotely
• Able to develop a plan and deliver on it over the long term
• Conscientious and methodical, ensuring that all content is delivered on time and to standard
• Focused on the need for achieving business results and how their work contributes
• Able to balance the need for high quality versus speed; flexible, adaptable and resourceful
• Excited by travel, winter sports and Antarctica
• Articulate and diplomatic; able to coax the necessary information out of busy senior managers
• Visible, engaging and approachable for colleagues, agents, guests and more; a team player who will support and involve colleagues without being asked
• Strong customer focus
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial business
• Rigorous attention to detail and focus on quality
• Strong analytic, written and presentation skills
• International outlook

 

EXPERIENCE

MUST HAVE

• Minimum 2 years’ experience in creating content / business copywriting, specifically including writing for SEO / digital marketing channels
• Evidence of “owning” channels / content plan
• Experience in articulating and developing a company’s tone of voice
• Strong experience in luxury marketing for a small brand
• Experience in amplifying third party content eg media, celebrity posts

PREFERRED

• Luxury travel background especially with a focus on US travelers
• Experience of dealing with (U)HNWIs
• Experience of working with a PR agency
• Evidence of working on sustainability issues
• High standard of Chinese, Japanese or Russian

 

EDUCATION

• Degree or equivalent

 

LOCATION

• Cape Town, South Africa – must have right to live and work in South Africa